What if Brambleclaw Became Evil?
by Whitechest
Summary: Credit to: x-EBee-x for the original picture. I claim no ownership of this beautiful picture. What if Brambleclaw made a different decision when Firestar got caught in the fox trap? Find out what he did in this fanfiction.
1. Chapter 1: The Dark River

Chapter 1: The Dark River

Brambleclaw stared down in disbelief at his dying leader. Firestar gazed up at Brambleclaw, his green eyes wide with shock and pain.

"Kill him!" A snarl came from behind Brambleclaw, and he managed to wrench his eyes off Firestar's dying body, and stared at Hawkfrost.

"What are you waiting for? Kill him, and ThunderClan will be all yours. Soon you can take over ShadowClan and I will take over RiverClan as leader, then control WindClan. We will be an unstoppable legacy."

Brambleclaw gazed at Hawkfrost, then his dying leader. Firestar's eyes were stretched wide in disbelief and pain as he learned Hawkfrost's plans. Brambleclaw padded to Firestar's side, and stared at his face, his eyes now pleading. He knew if he tightened the fox trap his leader would die easily. But if he dug it out he would loosen it. Brambleclaw thought for a moment. _WindClan's friendship is evaporating like dew in the morning sun. ShadowClan is becoming more and more hostile. We need a strong leader to be able to lead ThunderClan through this._ He was stuck to the ground as his thoughts whirled through his head. He stared at his dying leader. _His face, stretched in terror as he saw Bramblekit for the first time. Him, running through the fire, the same colour as his pelt, leaping onto the burning tree to save him. His mentor. His trust in the warrior ceremony. And even more so as he appointed him his deputy._ Brambleclaw stared at him, then tightened the snare. Firestar's body jerked, then went still for a moment. His leaders face was full of nobility as he choked out, "Brambleclaw… I—I trusted- you.. - I should- have- helped- Yellowfang" His leaders body jerked as Brambleclaw tightened the snare again. "I'm sorry Firestar, but ThunderClan needs a strong leader. ShadowClan and WindClan…" Brambleclaw trailed off. There was no decent explanation for killing his leader, who had saved the whole forest from Scourge, and revealed the plot of his father's, and saved Bluestar. His eyes were dull as he tightened the snare, and Firestar let out a yowl, full of pain and nobility. Brambleclaw stared down at his leader. He couldn't turn back now. Firestar would never trust him again. 1 more life, and the forest would be his. But at the cost of what? How many cats would die like Firestar? Brambleclaw shook away his thoughts, and murmured, "I'm sorry Firestar, but this had to be done." He tightened the snare, and Firestar caterwauled, yet it was full of strength and courage. Brambleclaw stared at his leader for the last time before he fell to the ground, lifeless. Brambleclaw stared down at Firestar's body, remorse creeping through him. He shook it away angrily, and heard a voice behind him. "Well done Brambleclaw, or Bramblestar-to-be. Now, I'd better get back to RiverClan if I want to be deputy." Brambleclaw nodded numbly, and Hawkfrost charged away through the undergrowth towards RiverClan territory. A few moments later he heard cats running through the undergrowth, about two he thought. Leafpool and Squirrelflight ran into the clearing, and skidded to a stop, panting. "Brambleclaw we-" Squirrelflight stopped when she saw her dead leader, and father. She wailed out loud then drew back her lips in a snarl. "Who did this? Please, Brambleclaw, tell me it wasn't you." Leafpool trembled, then spat, "I bet it was. He's been meeting in the Dark Forest with Tigerstar and Hawkfrost. He's a traitor to the warrior code." Squirrelflight glared at him, but now her glare was shadowed with fear and uncertainty. "If you killed my father…" She stopped, gazing at his bloody paws. "It was." She leapt at Brambleclaw, screeching. He unsheathed his claws, dizzy at the scent of blood and death, and what he was planning to do. "JUST BECAUSE I WAS YOUR MATE I WON'T SHOW MERCY FOR A FOX-HEARTED TRAITOR!" She raked claws down Brambleclaw's neck, and he snarled, and drove his teeth deep into her throat, and tore it. She fell to the ground, dead. Leafpool stared at him, terrified. "You—you killed her!" She backed away, terrified. She turned and ran, but Brambleclaw sprang after her, pinning her down. "No please! I'm expecting kits…" She cowered, her words a mere wail. Why couldn't she die bravely, her nobility showing like Squirrelflight and Firestar? Brambleclaw stared down at her, uncertain. StarClan would disapprove of him killing a medicine cat and an expecting queen, but then StarClan would disapprove of all his other actions today. He slackened his grip, and Leafpool ran, leaves skidding out from underneath her in her frantic actions to run. He hesitated, then ran after her, and sank his teeth into her spine. She died quickly.


	2. Chapter 2: Framed

Chapter 2: Framed.

Brambleclaw quickly thought. Who could he pin this on? Cloudtail and Dustpelt, although short-tempered at times, would never kill a Clan leader, medicine cat, and brave warrior. Hm… Ashfur? Yes. He disliked Squirrelflight for choosing Brambleclaw as a mate instead of him, and had never forgiven her. He probably disliked Leafpool for leaving with Crowfeather, too. "Perfect." He said. He quickly washed his matted, bloody fur in the shallower part of the river, which run red. He then walked to camp, his head bowed as if he was grieving. Deep down, he actually was, and was trying to show that part of him as part of his disguise. When he entered the camp, Sandstorm glared at him. "He's back." Dustpelt's yowl rang around the clearing, and all of the cats in ThunderClan emerged from their dens, all glaring at him with narrowed eyes. He tried to make his voice tremble as he yowled, "Ashfur!? How could you kill Firestar, Leafpool, and Squirrelflight?" Sandstorm looked horrified as she discovered her whole family was dead. "L-leafpool and Squirrelflight are dead? Firestar?" Brambleclaw tried to ignore her as Ashfur meowed, "What do you mean foxhe-", but Brambleclaw interrupted him, drowning his words out as he yowled, "How could you! A medicine cat! And clan leader." Ashfur snarled. " I didn't do it!" Brambleclaw's ear twitched, but nobody seemed to see it. Their eyes were fixed on Ashfur. Ashfur wasn't going to give up. "Now you dishonor their name by denying it. How low will you stoop Ashfur?" Ashfur drew his lips back, baring his teeth. He unsheathed his claws and leapt at Brambleclaw, raking claws down his flank. Brambleclaw screeched in pain, but deep down he was relieved. Nobody would believe Ashfur now, after he attacked him. He tried to bat Ashfur away, but Sandstorm leapt at him, her eyes full of rage and grief. She dug claws and teeth into his flank. "Hold him." Brambleclaw ordered the senior warrior. Brambleclaw stared down at the barely conscious warrior. " Why, Ashfur? Why kill them?" " I was angry at Squirrelflight for choosing you instead of me. She deserved to die." He blacked out, and Brambleclaw stared down at him as if he was a pile of crowfood that had an especially rancid stench. "Then, I sentence Ashfur to death for the murder of the Clan leader, medicine cat and a brave and noble warrior." "Sandstorm, I give you permission to carry this out. "Sandstorm's eyes glittered, and she slashed her claws across the already wounded Ashfur's flank, up his neck. His body shuddered, and he died. Brambleclaw stared at him for a moment, then glanced to Cloudtail. "Take him out of the camp. No need to bury him, the crows can have him. No elders need be present." Cloudtail nodded and picked up Ashfur's body by the tail, dragging him out of camp in disgust. He remembered he was kin to Firestar, and understood his anger, and he felt guilt churn inside him for a moment. Then he called to Whitewing and Brightheart. "Please, get Leafpool, Squirrelflight, and Firestar's bodies. We will mourn them tonight."


	3. Chapter 3: Mourning

Chapter 3: Mourning.

Whitewing and Brightheart had carefully and gently dragged their bodies back to camp and stretched them out in the clearing. The elders had done their best to prevent the reek of death, but traces stayed in the air, almost ominously. Sandstorm currently had her nose pressed in Firestar's fur, then she murmured something softly and padded to Squirrelflight. Brambleclaw went over to Firestar, and murmured, " You were a great leader, but not right for ThunderClan." Then he moved to Squirrelflight, who was peacefully lying in the clearing, so unlike her. She had always radiated with energy, even when she slept. Brambleclaw had always relished that about her, and got strength from it in the morning. He knew he would never feel that again. "Good-bye Squirrelflight." He padded to Leafpool, and stared at her for a while. He knew he couldn't say anything to the expecting mother and medicine cat, so he just briefly pressed his nose into her cold fur, then padded off to his new life as a Clan leader. _**Sorry about how short this chapter is. Hope you enjoyed the story, this is the end of it.**_


End file.
